A/N: Sorry, hastily finished this and wanted to post. Haven't proofread, just spell checked n stuff. Hope its' readable!

Also: This is from where the fic got its name.

Point of Ascension

Chapter 7

"What is the-"

While it did look like she was resting peacefully, CAT-scans proved otherwise. And her brain activity was beyond that of a dream or wide-awake person.

But what she lived through was very much real for her. Real, exhausting, repeating, strange and impossible to understand. Her mind forced her to live through scenes from her life.

Sometimes there were just short glimpses.

Like her father's laughter the first time she tried to get her bearings flying a ship in space, but was too excited to keep control and caused the ship to spin. A time where she hit a guy and accidentally broke his nose because he tried to kiss her against her will. The smell of newly picked flowers from Athos.

Sometimes she lived through longer moments, mostly horrible ones. Wraiths appearing and time and time again she had to kill. Battle situations in space where her only goal was to reduce casualties. Setting down Alantea, Atlantis sister ship, and leaving it behind. Living through the first moments she saw it again after ten thousand years.

The times she stepped into the long term stasis chamber, and the moments she woke up. Peaceful times from her childhood when nothing threatened her people, and the dire times where they continuously underestimated their enemy and kept loosing.

She just couldn't understand what was happening. It carried on for so long she was losing everything, but had no alternative to follow along, like a roaring stream. They were her memories, she couldn't just change them.

"Isn't there anything we can do?"

"For the millionth time John, no." Dr Beckett went about his duties in the medbay while Sheppard sat at the edge of Vera's bed, watching the woman sleep.

"Can she hear me?"

"Maybe, I don't know. It's a... strange state she's in."

"It's been a long time."

Beckett stopped by the bed and his eyes passed over the, seemingly peaceful, woman.

"Yes." He paused, pondering. "It has."

"Unscheduled wormhole activation!" The speakers sounded, the two men shared a brief eye contact before Sheppard headed off towards the gateroom. On the way there a tech contacted him via radio.

"Sir, I believe you'd like to see this."

"What is it?"

"Just hurry sir."

Worried he stepped up the pace. But there wasn't really any need for any anxiety. As he arrived in the gateroom there stood a woman alone on the floor in front of the gate. With brown straight hair, soft brown eyes. Dressed in light white fabric and a kind smile on her lips.

"Chaya?" He asked immediately as he recognized her.

"Hello Sheppard." She turned her eyes to him. "I hear you have a sleeping patient?"

Long enough time had passed for Elizabeth to return from earth. Now they, her, Sheppard and Chaya, sat in her office. Discussing the situation.

"You came for Vera?" Weir asked, furrowing her brows.

"Yes."

"But why?"

"The Ancients know well about Vera. She has traveled through several of our living cycles and touched many souls. They wish to help her, through me."

"How?" Sheppard asked with the same expression as Weir.

"Telepathically. I can reach her mind and possibly heal it, if needed."

"What do you think?" Weir looked over at Sheppard.

"We haven't made any progress." He almost shrugged. "And I trust Chaya completely." He turned towards the ascended ancient and gave her a smooth smile, which she returned halfheartedly.

"Well you're right about our progress." Weir sighed. "Alright, we'll take you to her."

Chaya nodded and rose from the chair.

They walked into the medbay and explained the idea to Beckett. He saw no risk with it, and had no better idea for a cure, so he agreed. The rumor had spread and others had come to the medbay as well. Teyla and Major Lorne watched with care and tried to keep the curious onlookers to a minimum. But an ascended Ancient in herself attracted attention.

Chaya sat down on the bed and raised her hands to Vera's head. Her contours started to soften with a bright light and almost dispersed. She closed her eyes and made the mental connection.

For Vera everything suddenly came to a halt. She was standing in the middle of a jungle, fully armed and blood seeping from a wound at her shoulders. She blinked and looked around. Everything had just suddenly frozen and when she tried to touch one of her fellow soldiers he disintegrated. Surprised she took a step back and felt her pulse rise.

"Vera." The voice came from behind and she raised her weapon as she turned.

In front of her stood the brown haired woman, completely out of place in her white clothing.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"I'm here to help."

"Help?" She frowned. "What's happening?"

"Be calm, nothing of this is real."

"Not real? What are you talking-"

Without explanation or warning the entire world around her fell apart. She turned, watching both wraith and lantians dissolve into a blur along with the jungle. Left was only a white-beige place where there was nothing else, only this woman.

"Who are you?" She demanded in a harder voice now, but she was also more on her guard. Along with everything else, her weapon had dissolved.

"I'm a friend, Vera. My name is Chaya and I grew up on Atlantis, just like you. I'm here to help you."

"Help? I'm not... I don't... what happened?"

"You made an alliance with the Wraith."

Vera frowned and looked appalled, but Chaya gave her time to think and recall the recent past. Slowly the memories came to her. The Wraith queen on Atlantis. Her decision to come along on that hive ship, and the results of it.

"I took control of the ship." She blinked and looked away, remembering the pain.

"I'm here to take you to the council."

The council, wasn't really named the council. Usually the ascended Ancients were only referred to as 'The Others'. Even though they had given themselves strict rules of non-interference, they did make exceptions.

Vera stood in front of a collection of strangers. People that she very well could have placed on Atlantis and they were dressed as Lanteans. There were ten of them, not counting Chaya. Five men and five women. And they sat on a higher podium, as if judges in a courtroom. Looking down on her.

Her mind had stopped roaring and for the moment the feeling was soothing and calm. Standing in front of these old souls there was a feeling of reverence and she did bow her head to them.

"Vera." One of them took word, not weighing any family name or titles on her.

"Masters." Was her impulsive response.

"We saw your demise." Another spoke.

"In your time you swore to give your all to keep Atlantis and her people safe."

"You have proven your words to be true."

"Thank you."

"You have served your people well, in every way."

"So we have decided to give you a choice."

There were different people saying every sentence, and her head moved to gain eye contact with the one speaking.

"You may continue your struggle for your mind to heal."

"Or we can help you Ascend."

"In my time," Vera answered. "Ascension was only being researched. I do not know the meaning of it."

"You will ascend to a higher plane of existence, leaving the physical world behind."

There was a long pause and Vera seemed confused.

"Leaving?" She frowned.

"Interaction with the living is strictly forbidden."

"But... possible?" She asked.

"Yes"

"But forbidden."

There was another long pause.

"You want me..." The thought created a hard lump in her chest. "You want me to leave the physical world... Leave.. Atlantis... And all I would be able to do... would be to.. watch?"

They all watched her in silence. Waiting for her decision, waiting her to accept this gracious gift they had offered her. Chaya, standing in the background, smiled.

"If I'm not allowed to protect what I love..." There were tears in the corners of her eyes. "Then what is the point of Ascension?" They received her answer with silence. "I choose to fight. I will always choose to fight." She turned and walked away.

"What happens now?" Vera asked when she was alone with Chaya again.

"I'll have to return you to the state I found you in... I'm sorry."

"There is no need to apologize." Vera turned towards her. "This council... I recognized some of the faces."

"Souls reborn." Chaya explained. "And eventually ascended, you see what your own soul recognizes."

"I see." Vera nodded and smiled sadly. If there was rebirth, there might still be hope in meeting other souls again. To cross paths with unfinished destinies. "Is there a way to fight it? This sea of memories."

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "But I believe your answer were correct, whether you live or die."

Vera nodded, almost unnoticeable. "Thank you... I'm ready."

But even though that is was she said, she wasn't. Being thrown into that sea of memories, as she called it, seemed even more of turmoil now when she knew and understood that she was trapped in her own mind. And even though she had promptly claimed she would fight it, how was she supposed to do it? What was the key to winning this war?"

Chaya's contours became solid again and she lifted her hands from Vera's head. The two of them had a clear characteristic in common. They both couldn't just stand by and watch. But this woman's strength to just stand up and clearly say she wasn't interested in salvation, and essentially point out that she'd rather die, it was something that was admirable.

"What happened?" John asked as soon as the brunette opened her eyes. She turned her head towards him and smiled faintly.

"The Others offered her help to Ascend."

"They did what?" Elizabeth frowned, this was information she hadn't received beforehand.

"What... What did she say?" John asked, equally disturbed by it, but completely unable to show anger towards Chaya.

"She's a strong person, and she'll fight to the end." She rose from the bed. "She chose to stay with you."

"But she'll live... right?" John frowned.

"I can't tell." Chaya shook her head slightly and looked around the room. "Her mind couldn't handle the amount of strain the Hive ship put on her. She'll have to try and fight it through."

Chaya couldn't answer most of their question, she couldn't foretell what would happen and she couldn't advise them in any treatment that would help her. Though she knew she could her herself, she didn't dare. The Others were keeping close track on her and their punishments were always harsh.

Though she did promise to remain on Atlantis until she either came to, or left life.

To be thrown back into that turmoil was even worse than living through it and not understanding. Now she was trapped her, fully aware that it wasn't real. But she had no idea how to get out of it. After a while it started to get confusing, and she started to tire. Living through moment of her own life. Sometimes horrible moments which brought her to tears. Sometimes happy moments she'd rather not leave.

But then, they started to.. slowly make sense, they were aligning themselves in a time line. It felt like someone was holding her hand, guiding her along. Telling her no, this happened before graduation, but after the final test. And slowly the glimpses and longer segment started to line up, creating her life.

At last she lived through the final moments on the Wraith ship up until she was forced to give up and fell unconscious to the floor.

Now, when she opened her eyes again, she was in a white room. No, not a room. More like an endless space, filled with white light. She looked down and saw she was wearing a white dress. It was layered with different fabrics. A smooth simple dress as a basic, and then a layer patterned with lace, above that a delicate thin layer which pulled the entire creation together.

And envelope came into her view, and she took it without thinking about who was handing it to her. She opened it carefully and in it there was a note with a single word on it. The envelope fell from her hands and disappeared. On the note in her hands four letters glowed to her in red.

Live

It said. She looked up and saw the clear image of herself looking straight back at her. The bright hair was styled the same, the clear blue eyes enameled the same, and the dress was the same. It was as if looking into a mirror. But Vera smiled with sad eyes and spoke softly.

"Alice."

"Hello Vera." The woman smiled back.

"What's happening?"

"You tried a little too hard back then. But you continued fighting. And came out on top."

"Why are you here?"

"To tell you that." She said and nodded towards the note.

"To live?"

"To really live, Vera, not just be alive."

"Alice..."

"Don't argue with me. You're smart enough to know that I'm just a projection your mind chooses. I'm telling you what you want to tell yourself." She smiled, tilted her head and touched her jaw with curled fingers.

Alice had been her twin sister. Through their life they had always had the same taste in clothes, kept the same hairstyles but had somewhat different personalities. While Alice had been more outgoing and openhearted, Vera had been more reserved and shy. When it had come to interest in live they had proven to be quite opposite as well, but in a strange manner. Alice took more to a scientist role and a calmer life, while Vera's eyes always looked to the stars.

They had both become Timetravellers after their parent's deaths. But eventually Alice had found her love and chose not to go into the stasis pod again. Vera had continued on alone, but a piece of her had been crushed, leaving her sister behind.

"I miss you a lot Alice."

The sister turned her head towards the left and Vera followed it. There was a door there. The same kind of doors they had in Atlantis. Only this one was coloured in white. She looked back and met her eyes.

"Go through it and you'll wake up. And Vera..." She stepped up and out her arm around her. The two of them hugged tightly as Alice whispered in Vera's ear. "Live. Remember there are more things in life than servitude."

They exchange eye contact one more time before Vera started to turn towards the door. But a dark figure in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She started to turn towards it when Alice took hold of her wrist.

"Don't look." She said with a harder voice. "He can wait."

"He?" She asked and frowned, but didn't look. Her face changed to suspicion. "Who is it?" But she didn't answer. "Alice, tell me."

"He shouldn't have come." She said, now tears in the corner of her eyes. "He and mother should've..." Her voice trailed off.

"Dad?" She asked while she understood. Ascended souls. Through rebirth their souls had eventually found peace. "You're not a figment of my imagination, are you?"

"No." Alice shook her head slightly. "I couldn't leave you alone Vera. I saw what that Hive computer did to you. You stayed for too long and tried too hard. Your mind shattered."

"You helped me heal."

"Yes... yes I did. I knew you wouldn't let them Ascend you. Leaving people behind isn't your style." She smiled and they both gave a short laugh.

"Why weren't you there then, to convince me?"

"I wanted you to stay in Atlantis! I want you have what I had Vera. I should have forced you to stay with me when I refused to go into that stasis again. To live in the now. To build a life." She shook her head again.

"Will they punish you awfully?" Vera took her sisters hands in hers.

"I don't think so. They owe you a lot. They owe us both a lot. I don't care. I know what I've seen. And you'll get it, soon enough."

"What?"

Alice giggled. "No, that you'll have to figure out for yourself. But remember." She freed her hands from Vera's grip and took hold of her shoulders. "You never ever need to go into that stasis again. And never forget we love you."

Vera nodded, hugged her farewell for a long time then turned towards the door.

"Don't look back."

She heard her sister whisper. And she didn't.

At Atlantis Sheppard was walking together with Chaya along the balcony by the gateroom when she suddenly stopped and smiled.

"What?" He turned and asked.

"I have to go."

"Wait do you mean..?"

"There is no reason left for me to stay." She turned to white energy, the gate activated by itself and all traces of her disappeared into the gateroom and through the gate. Sheppard stood stumped for a few moments and then he ran.

He came running into the medbay where everyone already seemed to be gathered. Lorne, Teyla, Ronon, McKay, Weird and Beckett stood around the bed.

"What's happening?" He asked, joining them.

"Her pulse is increasing and the brain activity stabilizing."

They all stood, waiting, almost holding their breaths.

Then, finally, heavily, her eyelids twitched and a narrow crevice opened up. There was a loud sigh of relief among them and Beckett took her hand.

"If you can hear us, squeeze my hand love."

It was only a weak, weak reaction. But it was there and he confirmed it to the rest. Her eyes opened a little more and traveled over each and every face around her. There was a warm reassuring feeling spreading through her, then she tiredly fell into a deep, dreamless, sleep.

The End

A/N: Yeah, told you it would be weird!

I think I wanted to do more with this, but I'm sore kinda busy with the writing (decided to write on text every week, for training) and since I just happened to get all of my basic idea down I wanted to post to show you I'm not dead.

(Just very sad that the Olympics ended)

Sidenote: Alice is the name I first used, but thought too soft for her and changed to Vera :)